Roasting fork



w. H. Ross ROASTING FORK Filed Nov. 2, 1951 Dec. 2, 1952 INVENTOR WILLIAM H. R035 BY 673m, 6074M vn/(m ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROASTING FORK William H. Ross, Allentown, Pa.

Application November 2, 1951, Serial No. 254,557

4 Claims.

This invention relates to roasting forks, and more particularly to forks having tines which areindividually rotatable about their longitudinal axes, so as to present different sides of the food to the fire.

The invention is designed especially for use in roasting wieners or frankfurters over a camp fire, as at picnics and the like.

An object of the invention is to devise improved means for simultaneously rotating a plurality of tines or prongs about their longitudinal axes, as the fork is held in the hand.

Another object is to provide a, roasting fork having a simple and convenient mechanism for oscillating the individual tines operable by the same hand that holds the fork.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved roasting fork;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on, a further enlarged scale substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved roasting fork comprises an elongated handle preferably in the nature of a hollow tube I, to the upper end of which is secured a U-shaped hand grip 2. This is shown as having one of the arms split as at 3, so as to encircle the handle I, being clamped to the handle by a screw 4.

Secured to the other end of the handle is a transversely extending bar 5. This may be attached to the handle by means of a ring 6, welded to the bar 5 and fastened to the handle by means of a set screw 1.

Journalled in the bar 5 are a plurality of tines or prongs 9. Each of these is formed with a rounded end or shank 8 which passes through an opening in the bar 5 and is secured in place as by means of a split washer I0, engaging a groove in the shank. A washer II may be employed on the opposite side of the bar 5 to give a more extended bearing to the shank 8.

A second bar I2 similar to the first is provided and is formed with a series of slots I3 through which the tines or prong 9 freely pass. The bar I2 is rigidly secured to a rod [4 which passes through an opening in the bar 5 up into the hollow handle I, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and. a

2 coil spring I5 surrounds this rod and is interposed between the bars 5 and I2, A stop pin I4 is carried by the rod I4 to limit the outward movement of the bar l2 under the influence of the spring I5.

A pull wire I6 is connected at one end to the rod I4 and extends up through the hollow handle I, being connected at its upper end to an ear I'I, secured to a finger lever I8, pivoted on a pin l9, carried by the hand grip 2 and secured by means of a, nut 20. By tightening this nut, the frictional drag on the lever I8 may be adjusted as desired.

The tines or prongs 9 are shown as of relatively thin and fiat shape, but, in any event, they are preferably of rectangular cross section and the slots I3 in the bar I2 are of the same shape. It will be seen that the bar 5 and I2 are disposed in spaced parallel relation, and each of the tines or prongs is given a twist of approximately as indicated at 9*. As shown in Fig. 1, this twisted portion of the prongs normally lies at a point between the two bars 5 and I2.

In using the device, the operator grasps the hand grip 2 and the finger lever la in his hand and by exerting a squeezing action the lever I8 is swung upwardly on its pivot and, through the pull wire I6, moves the bar I2 up towards the bar 5, thus compressing the spring l5. During this movement of the bar I2 toward the bar 5, the slots [3 work over the tines or prongs, and, because of the twisted portion 9 thereof, serve to impart to each of the tines a rotational movement about its own axis. Then, as the finger lever I8 is released, the spring I5 moves the bar l2 back away from the bar 5 and the tines or prongs are rotated in the opposite direction. Thus, as the bar I2 moves to and from the bar 5, the tines or prongs are simultaneously and individually oscillated about their longitudinal axes. In this way, any article of food impaled upon the tines or prongs will be turned back 2nd forth so as to present different sides to the The exact shape or cross section of the prongs or tines is not important, the only essential thing being that the slots or openings in the bar l2 must be of a shape corresponding to that of the cross section of the prongs or tines, so that these slots or openings, working over the twisted portions will cause the prongs or tines to rotate.

What I claim is:

1. A roasting fork comprising a handle, a transversely extending bar rigidly secured to the end thereof, a second bar disposed parallel with and spaced from the first, said second bar having a series of slots therein, a plurality of tines journalled at one end in said first bar, and passing freely through the slots in said second bar, each of said tines being of a cross-section similar in shape to that of said slots and being twisted at a point normally lying between said bars, and means for moving said second bar toward and away from said first bar, whereby said tines are simultaneously oscillated? about their longitudinal axes.

2. A roasting fork comprising a handle, a transversely extending bar rigidly secured to the end thereof, a second bar disposed parallel with and spaced from the first, said second bar having a series of rectangular slots therein, a'plurality of tines journalled at one end in said first bar, and passing freely through the slots in said second bar, each of said tines being of rectangular crosssection, similar to that of said slots and being twisted through approximately 180 at .a point normally lying between said bars, and'means for movingsaid second bar toward and away from said first bar, whereby said tines are simultaneously oscillated about their longitudinalaxes.

-3. A roasting fork comprising a hollow handle, a transversely extending bar I rigidly secured to the-end-thereof, a second bardisposed parallel with=and spaced from the first, said second bar having a series ofslotstherein, a plurality of tines journalled at one end in said first bar, and passing "freely through the slots in said second bar, each of said tines being of a cross-section similar in shape-to-that oft-said slots andbeing twisted-at a point normally lying between said barsfa coilspring interposed-between said bars, a pull wire secured at one end to said second bar and extending up through said first bar and through said "hollow handle, and a finger lever pivotally mounted onsaid handle, towhich lever the other. end of said pull wire is attached, whereby, *when said lever issw-ungon its-pivot-said second bar will-be-movedtoward'thefirst, compressing said-spring, and when'said lever is released; said spring will move said second bar away, thus oscillating said tines about their 1ongitudinal axes.

4. A roasting fork comprising a hollow handle, a transversely extending bar rigidly secured to the end thereof, a second bar disposed parallel with and spaced from the first, said second bar having a series of slots therein, a plurality of tines journalled at one end in said first bar, and passing freely through the slots in said second bar, each of said tines being :ofca ..cross-section similar in shape to that'of said'slots and bein twisted at a point normally lying between said bars, a coil spring interposed between said bars,

a pull wire secured at one end to said second bar and extending up through said first bar and through said hollow handle, a U-shaped hand grip having one arm secured to said hollow handle, and a finger lever pivotally mounted on said hand grip at a point between the arms thereof, to which lever the other end of said pull wire is attached, whereby said levermaybe swungon its pivot :by simultaneously grasping. itand the free arm of'saidhand-grimand when: so swung, said second bar-willbe moved toward the first compressing said spring, and when said lever. is rereleased, said spring will move saidwsecondbar away, thus oscillating said tines about their;longitudinal axes.

.WILLIAM H. ROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references'are of-record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 270,277 Brookes 1Janj.' 9, 1883 427,473 -Hauck May16, 1890 2,315,143 Thompson Mar. 30, @1943 2,420,710 Livingston iMay"2'0,f1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 Number Country Date .840;856 France .-May 5,1939 

